U.S. Senate regroups, OKs ethics bill

In this space on Friday, we took exception with the U.S. Senate's apparent inability to get beyond petty partisan politics and pass a comprehensive proposed ethics reform bill.

Since we believe in giving credit where credit is due, we are happy to report that after the initial posturing had subsided and cooler heads prevailed, a compromise was reached and the bill sailed through the Senate with just two votes of opposition. Alaska Sens. Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski, who had joined their Republican colleagues Thursday in preventing a vote on the bill, were among the yeas in the nearly unanimous vote.

Although a final package of reforms is far from finalized - the House passed its own version of an ethics bill that was less comprehensive than the one the Senate passed - it is encouraging to note that federal lawmakers appear to be back on course and in sync with the wishes of Americans.

According to Congressional Quarterly, the approved bill would: ban senators and their staff from accepting meals, gifts and trips from lobbyists; prohibit senators from negotiating for private-sector jobs while still in office; create a point of order against bills that do not identify the sponsors of earmarks; establish a database of lobbyists' contacts and activities; and force lobbyists to certify that they have complied with the gift ban.

Co-sponsored in a spirit of bipartisanship by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the bill is largely a response to recent congressional scandals involving lobbyists and growing voter impatience with perceived &#8220pork” projects - like the so-called &#8220bridges to nowhere” here in Alaska - that lawmakers fund with federal tax dollars.

A House ethics bill approved earlier this month did not address lobbying restrictions.

It is too early to tell what this might mean for the bill's final version. It is difficult to imagine that House members are not aware of the public's desire for an end to what has become business as usual inside the Beltway. On the other hand, history offers no shortage of examples of the inability of Congress to effectively regulate itself.

It is incumbent on voters, then, to keep their elected officials honest and on task.

Anyone wishing to share their thoughts on ethics legislation, or any other issue, can do so in a variety of ways, starting locally, with the Mat-Su delegation office. The office is at 851 E. Westpoint Drive, Suite 307, in Wasilla, just off Crusey Street. The phone number there is 376-7665.

Lawmakers' individual addresses and phone numbers are as follows:

€ Sen. Ted Stevens, 522 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510, (202) 224-3004.

€ Sen. Lisa Murkowski, 709 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510, (202) 224-6665.

€ Rep. Don Young, 2111 Rayburn HOB, Washington, D.C., 20515, (202) 225-5765.